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Transcript
CHAPTER 15
ESSENTIAL
GRAMMAR SKILLS
1.
Subject-Verb Disagreement
2.
Trimming Sentences
3.
Parallelism
4.
Comparison Problems
5.
Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement
6.
Pronoun Case
7.
Dangling and Misplaced Participles
8.
Other Misplaced Modifiers
9.
Tricky Tenses
10.
Idiom Errors
11.
Diction Errors
12.
Other Modifier Problems
13.
Irregular Verbs
14.
The Subjunctive Mood
15.
Coordinating Ideas
✓
511
512
McGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 1: Subject-Verb Disagreement
Finding Verbs
The verb is the most important part of a sentence, but
verbs aren’t always easy to spot. Consider the word
swim in the sentences The ducks swim in the pond and
The ducks love to swim. In the first sentence, swim is
the verb. In the second sentence, swim is part of a
noun phrase. (To swim is the thing that the ducks
love.) So how do we spot verbs?
A verb is what conveys the essential meaning of
a clause (a string of words that convey an idea).
Every idea requires a verb. The sentence The
ducks swim in the pond says that Something
swims somewhere, so the verb is swim. The
sentence The ducks love to swim says that
Something loves something, so the verb is love.
Every verb requires a subject, that is, what
does the verb. In both sentences, the subject is
ducks. A verb may also require an object, that
is, what receives the verb. In The ducks love to
swim, the object is to swim, because that is the
thing that is loved.
Example:
When David approached third base, the coach
waved him home.
This sentence contains two related ideas, so it contains
two clauses, and therefore two verbs:
Clause 1: When David approached third base
Verb: approached Subject: David
Object: third base
Clause 2: the coach waved him home
Verb: waved
Subject: the coach
Object: him
Subject-Verb Disagreement (SVD)
Every verb must agree in number (singular or
plural) with its subject. Subject-verb disagreement
is one of the most common errors tested for on
the SAT. If you are a native speaker of English,
the best way to check for subject-verb disagreement is to find the subject and verb (ignoring all
the intervening words) and say them together.
“third person singular” form—as in he spends—but
people is plural, so the phrase should be people
spend.
Tricky Plurals and Singulars
These rules will help you to check whether a verb
agrees in “number” with its subject:
Phrases like Sam and Bob are plural, but phrases
like Sam, in addition to Bob, are singular. Phrases
that start as well as . . . , together with . . . , along
with . . . , or in addition to . . . are interrupters,
which are not part of the main subject.
These words are singular: each, anyone, anybody, anything, another, neither, either, every,
everyone, someone, no one, somebody, everything, little, and much. To check for SVD, you
can replace any of them with it.
These words are plural: phenomena (singular:
phenomenon), media (singular: medium), data
(singular: datum), and criteria (singular: criterion). To check for SVD, you can replace any
of them with they.
All of the following can be either singular or
plural, according to the noun that follows the
of: none (of), any (of), some (of), most (of),
more (of), and all (of).
Verbs that follow subjects of the form either A
or B and neither A nor B must agree with B, the
noun closer to the verb.
Inverted Sentences
Usually the subject comes before the verb, but inverted clauses have the subject after the verb. For
instance, sentences that start There is . . . or There
are . . . are inverted. To check subject-verb agreement in these sentences, first “uninvert” them.
Example:
The people, who are easily persuaded by corporatesponsored media, spends very little time analyzing
issues.
The subject of the verb spends is people. But
people spends sounds wrong, because spends is the
Example:
There are many flies in the barn. (inverted)
V
S
Many flies are in the barn. (uninverted)
S V
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
513
Concept Review 1: Subject-Verb Disagreement
Next to each noun or noun phrase, write “S” if it is singular or “P” if it is plural.
1. Neither rain nor snow
__________
2. Crowd of rowdy fans
__________
3. Media
__________
4. Criterion
__________
5. One or two
__________
6. Everything
__________
7. Either of the candidates
__________
8. Phenomena
__________
Circle the subject in each sentence, and choose the correct verb.
9. Neither of the cars (is/are) equipped with antilock brakes.
10. The flock of geese (was/were) startled by the shotgun blast.
11. The data on my computer (was/were) completely erased when the power failed.
12. Mathematics and history (is/are) my favorite subjects.
13. None of the roast (was/were) eaten.
14. All of the games (was/were) played on real grass fields.
15. Pride and Prejudice (is/are) my favorite Jane Austen novel.
16. Neither of the twins (is/are) allergic to penicillin.
17. Much of what I hear in those lectures (goes/go) in one ear and out the other.
18. Amy, along with Jamie and Jen, (is/are) applying to Mount Holyoke.
19. None of the books (was/were) considered fit for public consumption.
20. All of the eggplant (was/were) used to make the sauce.
21. Amid the lilies and wildflowers (was/were) one solitary rose.
22. Either Ben or his brothers (is/are) in charge of bringing the drinks.
23. There (is/are) hardly even a speck of dirt left on the carpet.
24. “Stop right there!” (shouts/shout) the Bailey brothers, who are standing in front of me.
25. Either the Donovans or Dave (is/are) going to bring the plates.
26. There (is/are) at least a hundred people here.
“Uninvert” the following sentences so that the verb follows the subject, then choose the correct verb form.
27. There (is/are), in my opinion, far too many smokers in this restaurant.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
28. Over that hill (is/are) thousands of bison.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
29. Riding on the bus among the children (was/were) over a dozen commuters.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
30. Never before (has/have) there been such voices heard here.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
31. Absent from the article (was/were) any mention of the director’s previous Broadway failures.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
514
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 1: Subject-Verb Disagreement
Label each verb in the following sentences with a “V” and each subject with an “S.” If any verbs are incorrect,
cross them out and write the correct form in the blank.
1. We were horrified to discover that there was more than three mice living in the attic.
_______________
2. Either the president or one of her aides are going to coordinate the project.
_______________
3. There is nearly always two or three guards posted at each entrance.
_______________
4. Every player on both the Falcons and the Rockets were at the party after the game.
_______________
5. There has been a theater and a toy store in the mall ever since it opened.
_______________
6. Either Eric or his brother is hosting the party this year.
_______________
7. There is no fewer than six crayons in this box.
_______________
8. The therapy can resume as planned because neither of the twins are allergic to penicillin.
_______________
9. The proceeds from the sale of every auctioned item goes to charity.
_______________
10. Economics, particularly with its dependence on the behavior of consumers and producers,
has always struck me as more of a human science than a mathematical one.
_______________
11. There is more than three years remaining on her contract.
_______________
12. Neither of the girls were frightened by the wild animals that scurried incessantly past
their tent.
_______________
13. The technology behind high-definition television, DVDs, and CDs have transformed nearly
every aspect of the home entertainment industry.
_______________
14. Every player on both teams were concerned about the goalie’s injury.
_______________
15. The company’s sponsorship of charitable foundations and mentorship programs have
garnered many commendations from philanthropic organizations.
_______________
16. Neither the children nor their parents utters a word when Mrs. Denny tells her stories.
_______________
17. How important is your strength training and your diet to your daily regimen?
_______________
516
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 2: Trimming Sentences
Why Trim?
Spotting SVD errors is often easier when you
“trim” the sentence, that is, eliminate nonessential modifiers to leave the “core” of the sentence.
What remains after you “trim” a sentence
should still be a grammatically correct and
complete sentence.
How to “Trim” a Sentence
Step 1: Cross out all nonessential prepositional phrases.
e.g., The bird in the cage began singing.
A preposition is a word that shows relative position
or direction. It can complete one of the following
sentences:
The squirrel ran _____ the tree.
Democracy is government _____ the people.
Examples include to, from, of, for, by, in, before, with,
beyond, and up.
A prepositional phrase is the preposition and the noun
phrase that follows, including its modifiers.
Modifiers are adjectives and adverbs, as well as modifying phrases like participial phrases (see Lesson 7).
Most modifiers are not essential to a sentence, but
some are. Use your best judgment. One kind of essential adjective is a predicate adjective, that is, an adjective that is linked to the subject by a linking verb, as in
Martha is smart.
Trimming a sentence helps you to spot SVD more
easily.
Original:
My chief concern with this budget
and the other proposals on the
table are the cuts in school funds.
Trimmed:
My concern are the cuts.
Revised:
My concern is the cuts.
Who Kicked Whom?
When you write, trim your sentences to play the “Who
kicked whom?” exercise. Look at the subject-verbobject (“Who kicked whom?”) core, and see if it
clearly and forcefully conveys the thought you want
to convey.
Original:
The lack of economic programs
and no big country’s being ready to
join it symbolized the problems the
League of Nations had in getting
established.
Trimmed:
The lack and no country’s being
ready symbolized the problems.
e.g., from sea to shining sea
in the beginning with hat in hand
Step 2: Cross out all interrupting phrases.
e.g., The committee, ignoring tradition, will
approve the measure.
An interrupting phrase is a modifying phrase that interrupts the flow of the sentence. Interrupters are generally separated from the main sentence by commas
or dashes.
Step 3: Cross out all other nonessential modifiers and modifying phrases.
e.g., Having traveled so far, the baseball team
hardly wanted to forfeit the championship game.
Yikes! That doesn’t make a shred of sense;
rewrite it.
Revised:
Two problems plagued the establishment of the League of Nations:
its lack of viable economic programs and its lack of support from
the larger countries.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
517
Concept Review 2: Trimming Sentences
1. What are the three types of words or phrases that can be eliminated when “trimming” a sentence?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is it sometimes helpful to “trim” a sentence?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Circle all of the prepositions in the list below.
of
beyond
for
and
with
the
an
without
some
along
below
4. What is a prepositional phrase?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Write four examples of prepositional phrases.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Write the trimmed version of each sentence on the line below it, correcting any verb problems.
6. The team of advisors, arriving ahead of schedule, were met at the airport by the Assistant Prime Minister.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. The flock of birds that darted over the lake were suddenly an opalescent silver.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Carmen, along with her three sisters, are unlikely to be swayed by arguments supporting David’s position.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Write the trimmed version of each sentence on the line below it, then rewrite the sentence to make it clearer and
more forceful, changing the subject and verb entirely, if necessary.
9. Nearly inevitably, advancements, or those being popularly regarded as such, have to do with modifications, not
overhaul.
Trimmed: ________________________________________________________________________________________
Revised: __________________________________________________________________________________________
10. The development of the new country’s governmental system was affected in a negative regard by the rebels’ lack
of cohesiveness.
Trimmed: ________________________________________________________________________________________
Revised: __________________________________________________________________________________________
518
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 2: Trimming Sentences
Write the “trimmed” version of each sentence, circling the verbs and subjects and correcting any agreement errors.
1. Juggling the demands of both school and my social agenda often seem too much to bear.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Others on the committee, like the chairwoman Amanda Sanders, is concerned about the lack of attention given
to school safety.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. The waiters’ professional demeanor—particularly their keen knowledge, their attention to detail, and their
cordiality—are what makes dining there such a sublime culinary experience.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. The system by which candidates for local political offices are selected is archaic and, many contend, unfair.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The abundance of companies that fail in their first year of business contribute to an intimidating economic
climate.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. When scientists theorize about the traits that all humans have come to share, they must be keenly aware of the
fact that these traits have evolved over millions of generations.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. The entire industry of tobacco companies and distributors has steadfastly maintained their position that
tobacco is not addictive and that smoking is an inalienable right of consumers.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. The challenge of Mount Everest, its conquerors claim, is far more the lack of oxygen at its rarefied heights than
even the precarious ice falls or precipitous ascents.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. One in every three Americans agree strongly with the statement: “Anyone who would run for political office is
not worth voting for.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. The fact that humans have committed so many atrocities have forced some historians to adopt a cynical
perspective on human nature.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
520
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 3: Parallelism
The Law of Parallelism
I like pizza. I like to swim.
When you compare or list items in a sentence,
the items should have the same grammatical
form. That is, if the first item is an infinitive (or
a gerund, or an adjective, etc.), the other
item(s) should be, too.
Wrong:
She hated to take charge, draw attention to herself, and she hated
seeming like a know-it-all.
The three items have different forms. The sentence sounds best if they are all gerunds.
Right:
Wrong:
She hated taking charge, drawing
attention to herself, and seeming
like a know-it-all.
Believe it or not, I like to read more
than I like going to parties.
The first item is an infinitive, but the second is
a gerund. Make them the same form.
Right:
Believe it or not, I like to read more
than I like to go to parties.
Also right: Believe it or not, I like reading more
than I like going to parties.
Parallel Constructions
What kind of word is pizza? Obviously a noun. But
notice that in the sentences above, to swim (infinitive)
and swimming (gerund) are playing the same role as
pizza did in the first sentence. So they must be nouns
too!
Usually, gerunds and infinitives are interchangeable. But in some situations, one is
preferable to the other.
• The gerund often indicates a general class of activity, while the infinitive indicates a specific
activity.
Good:
Kayaking (not to kayak) is a
healthful sport, but can sometimes be dangerous.
Good:
Curtis and Dan want to kayak
(not kayaking) this afternoon.
• The infinitive indicates a stronger connection
between subject and action than does the
gerund.
Unclear:
A is like B
neither A nor B
the more A,
the less B
not A but B
A more than B
either A or B
the better A,
the better B
less A than B
prefer A to B
both A and B
not only A,
but also B
more A than B
Infinitives vs. Gerunds
Infinitives are verblike phrases like to run, to see, and
to think, which usually act as nouns.
Gerunds are also verblike words, like running, seeing, and thinking, and they also often act as nouns.
Cara has always loved dancing.
Does Cara simply like to watch dancing, or
does she herself do the dancing?
Clearer:
In all constructions like the following, the
words or phrases that replace A and B must be
parallel.
I like swimming.
Cara has always loved to dance.
This sentence clearly indicates that Cara
herself dances.
• The infinitive often indicates purpose or intention better than does the gerund.
Awkward: We have supplied cars for transporting the guests back to their
hotel rooms.
Better:
We have supplied cars to transport the guests back to their hotel
rooms.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
521
Concept Review 3: Parallelism
1. In what situations do you have to obey the law of parallelism?
In each of the sentences below, circle the words or phrases that are parallel, then write the form of those words
or phrases (adjectives, prepositional phrases, gerunds, infinitives, nouns, etc.) in the blank.
2. You can register for the test by mail, by phone, or on the Web.
____________________
3. Having good study practices is even more important than working hard.
____________________
4. The more you get to know her, the more you will like her.
____________________
5. The produce is not only exceptionally fresh but also reasonably priced.
____________________
6. The show is less a concert than it is a 3-hour nightmare.
____________________
Complete each of the sentences below with the appropriate word or phrase—infinitive or gerund—using the
given verb.
7. (exercise) ____________________ is essential, but so is (eat) ____________________ intelligently.
8. The purpose of this trip is (show) ____________________ you what life was like in the 18th century.
9. I have always loved (dance) ____________________, although my condition has always prevented me from doing
it myself.
10. Is it better (study) ____________________ a little each night, or a lot the night before?
11. The director called a meeting (discuss) ____________________ the coordination of the marketing phase.
Correct any infinitive/gerund problems in the sentences below.
12. The defendant was unwilling to give up his right of having his lawyer present at all questioning.
13. I would not dream to try out for the team until I have learned to throw a football.
14. Even the reinforced concrete breakwater could not prevent the water to inundate the village.
15. Within the next three weeks, we plan having all of the work on the roof completed.
Fix the parallelism errors in the following sentences.
16. I like working with Miss Bennett because she is very supportive and has a lot of knowledge.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
17. I can’t decide whether I should give Maria the tickets or Caitlyn.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
18. The movie was both beautifully directed and the acting was a joy to watch.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
522
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 3: Parallelism
In the following sentences, circle all parts that should be parallel, and correct any problems.
1. Personal digital assistants can be not only practical, but also entertain for hours on end.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Filling out applications for summer jobs is about as much fun as when you take the SAT.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. My lab partners were more concerned about getting the lab done quickly than about what grade they might get.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. To say she is excitable is like saying Bill Gates is well off.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The sheer magnitude of the structure was awesome, but I thought the aesthetics were less than appealing.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. The elegance of a proof lies more in its conciseness and clarity than in how clever it is.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. I bought my tickets, reserved the hotel room, and I planned the itinerary myself.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. We had to build our own shelters, orient ourselves without instruments, and we even had to hunt and gather
our own food.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. The rebels were neither disciplined nor did they have any overall strategy.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. She was concerned not only with getting good grades, but also wanted to understand the material.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome tend to exhibit lethargy, a reduced affect, and they often feel depressed.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Taxpayers often prefer to pay high property taxes to the paying of high sales taxes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Riding that roller coaster was like a trip over a waterfall in a barrel.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. As a teacher, she loved to inspire creativity in her students, even more than she loved receiving accolades.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
524
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 4: Comparison Problems
Illogical Comparisons
Any items being compared in a sentence must
be logically comparable, that is, in the same
general category. Always compare apples to apples, not apples to car batteries! Also, comparisons must obey the law of parallelism.
Wrong: Her chances of getting an A aren’t
much better than the lottery.
Chances and the lottery aren’t comparable
things! We must compare chances to chances.
Right:
Her chances of getting an A aren’t much
better than her chances of winning
the lottery.
It is always illogical to say that something is
different from itself. Watch out for sneaky contrasts like this:
Wrong: She has played in more concerts than
any cellist in her school.
Of course, she hasn’t played in more concerts
than herself!
Right:
She has played in more concerts than
any other cellist in her school.
Fewer/Less, Number/Amount, and
Many/Much
Use the words fewer, number, or many only in
reference to countable things (like cars, dollars,
and popsicles) and less, amount, or much only
in reference to uncountable things (like traffic,
money, and food). It is a common mistake to
use less when you should use fewer.
Wrong: There have been a lot less fans at the
games ever since the owners raised
ticket prices.
Since fans can be counted, less doesn’t work. Use
fewer instead.
Right:
There have been a lot fewer fans at the
games ever since the owners raised
ticket prices.
Wrong: The team owners showed concern about
the increasing amount of dangerously
rowdy fans.
Right:
The team owners showed concern about
the increasing number of dangerously
rowdy fans.
Between/Among, More/Most,
and -er/-est
Use between, more, and any -er adjectives only
when comparing exactly two things. Use
among, most, and -est adjectives when comparing more than two things.
Wrong: The two superpowers seemed to be in
a constant battle to see who was
strongest.
Right:
The two superpowers seemed to be in
a constant battle to see who was
stronger.
Wrong: Of the dozens of students in the club,
Deborah was the more popular.
Right:
Of the dozens of students in the club,
Deborah was the most popular.
Number Shift
Things that you compare should, if possible,
agree in number. Be sure they are both plural
or both singular.
Wrong: They were both hoping to be a winner.
Right:
They were both hoping to be winners.
Wrong: The sailors’ main point of reference
was the two lighthouse beacons.
Right:
The sailors’ main points of reference
were the two lighthouse beacons.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
525
Concept Review 4: Comparison Problems
1. How do you know whether to use fewer or less in a comparison?
2. How do you know whether to use more or most in a comparison?
In each sentence, underline any items that are being compared or equated. Below the sentence, state whether the
comparison is logical or illogical. If it is illogical or contains another error in comparison, correct the sentence.
3. The critics’ guild praised the show, saying that it was consistently more intelligent and provocative than anything on the air.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Team unity and commitment to practice were regarded by the players as the key to their success.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Mathematics lessons in Japanese classrooms, unlike American classrooms, are often focused on solving a single complex problem rather than many simplistic problems.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Increasingly, modern singers, like Gregorian chanters, are becoming adept at melisma, the singing of many
notes on a single syllable.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. The electric-combustion engines of the new hybrid cars burn much more cleanly and efficiently than conventional cars.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. To the critics of the time, the surrealists were as inscrutable, if not more so, than the dadaists.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. In modern warfare, unlike the past, combatants rarely meet face to face, and are detected as often by video as
by sight.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Most people vastly prefer turning the pages of a real book to scrolling through the screens of an electronic novel.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
526
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 4: Comparison Problems
Correct any errors in the comparisons in the following sentences.
1. I prefer a lot of modern poetry to Shakespeare.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Her suitcase would not close because she had packed too much of her towels into it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. The year-end bonus was equally divided between Parker, Herriot, and me.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Many students wanted to be a lifeguard at the club.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The toughest thing about her class is you have to do tons of homework every night.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Mr. Forstadt’s comments, like so many coaches, didn’t spare the players’ feelings in the least.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. After several days in the woods, we became concerned that we had packed a lot less meals than we would need.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Even in the 21st century, women throughout the globe are treated like a slave, or, worse yet, like a nonperson.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. I’ve always preferred observational humor to those quirky prop comedians.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. It was remarkable that the children had donated so much toys to others who were barely needier than they.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. The formal structure of the sonnet imposes far more discipline on the mind of the poet than formless free verse.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. The theories of true anarchists, unlike modern antistatists, do not promote social chaos, but rather organization without authority.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Those passengers with a disability will be permitted to board the plane first.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. The reason we lost the game is because our captain had torn his ACL.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. Voter apathy and cold weather were a reason that turnout was so poor at this year’s election.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
16. Having studied Faulkner and Hemingway, I’ve come to believe that Hemingway is the best writer, although
Faulkner tells the best stories.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
528
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 5: Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement
Pronouns
A pronoun is a word (such as it, he, she, what, or that)
that substitutes for a noun. A pronoun is either definite (like it, you, she, and I) and refers to a specified
thing (or person or place or idea) or indefinite (like
anyone, neither, and those), and does not refer to a
specific thing (or person or place or idea).
Definite Pronouns and Antecedents
Every definite pronoun refers to (or takes the
place of) a noun in the sentence, called the pronoun antecedent. The pronoun must agree in
number (singular or plural) and kind (personal
or impersonal) with its antecedent.
unknown, as in Where are my keys? But sometimes it
can be used as a definite pronoun. When it is, remember two points:
Use what only to refer to a thing, where to refer
to a place, when to refer to a time, why to refer
to a reason, who to refer to a person, and how
to refer to an explanation.
Wrong: An anachronism is when something
doesn’t fit in with its time period.
An anachronism isn’t a time, is it? It’s a thing.
Right:
An anachronism is something that
doesn’t fit in with its time period.
Wrong: Everyone should brush their teeth
three times a day.
Because everyone is singular, their is the wrong
pronoun.
When following a comma, an interrogative
pronoun usually takes the immediately preceding noun as its antecedent.
Everyone should brush his or her teeth
three times a day.
Wrong: The actors will design their own sets,
who are participating in the workshop.
This is awkward because the sets are not what
the pronoun who is logically referring to.
Right:
Wrong: David was the one that first spotted the
error.
The pronoun that is impersonal, but of course,
David is a person.
Right:
David was the one who first spotted the
error.
The antecedent of a definite pronoun should
be clear, not ambiguous.
Wrong: Roger told Mike that he was going to
start the next game.
Who was going to start? Roger or Mike?
Right:
Mike learned that he was going to start
the next game when Roger told him so.
Interrogative Pronouns
An interrogative pronoun (like what, where, why,
and when) usually asks a question or refers to an
Right:
The actors who are participating in the
workshop will design their own sets.
Pronoun Consistency
Be consistent with any pronouns you use to
refer to the same thing more than once in a
sentence.
Wrong: Even when one is dieting, you should
always try to get enough vitamins.
It sounds like we can’t make up our minds
about whom we’re talking to!
Right:
Even when one is dieting, one should
always try to get enough vitamins.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
529
Concept Review 5:
Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement
1. Name three definite pronouns: ______________________________
2. Name three indefinite pronouns: ______________________________
3. Every ____________________ pronoun requires a specific antecedent.
4. What is an antecedent?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
After each interrogative pronoun, write what kind of noun it must represent.
5. what
____________________
6. where
____________________
7. how
____________________
8. when
____________________
9. why
____________________
10. who
____________________
Circle all pronouns in the following sentences, and make any corrections that may be necessary.
11. There are too many legal situations where misrepresentation seems to be standard practice.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. If a student wants to memorize the meaning of a word, you should begin by understanding the concept it
represents.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Caroline passed the phone to Julia, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. Neither of the dogs wanted to give up their territory to the other.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. David volunteered to be a ticket taker, not wanting to be the one that cleaned the aisles after the show.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
16. They lost the game, which is why they didn’t celebrate afterwards.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
530
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 5:
Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement
Correct any pronoun errors in each of the following sentences.
1. Although the British parliament conducts debates under very formal and decorous rules, they can often produce very animated arguments.
2. Brown has always been committed to assisting their students by providing him or her with any necessary
financial aid.
3. The media ignored the reports, probably because it believed they were not what the public was ready to hear.
4. The agency decided that they would give control of the project exclusively to Fiona and me.
5. Each of the girls wanted their idea for the logo design to be considered.
6. No one who has been through the first week of boot camp ever believes that they will make it through the entire
six weeks.
7. Although you shouldn’t read carelessly, one doesn’t need to read slowly, either.
8. Neither gentleman thought that their team could win the championship.
9. Students sometimes aren’t ready to handle the extra work when his or her courses become more demanding.
10. Many modern novels are concerned with situations where love goes unrequited.
11. Everybody is expected to do their share.
12. The entire team turned out to be robots who had been programmed to play lacrosse.
13. The radio station’s board of directors drafted a proposal modifying their advertising policies.
14. The museum received so many donations that they actually had to return over a million dollars to the
benefactors.
15. They usually give the most points to the skater that makes the fewest mistakes.
16. I like movies where the guy gets the girl.
17. Each swimmer will have a lane to themselves.
18. Who was the one that made the error in the third inning?
532
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 6: Pronoun Case
Pronoun Cases
Object of verb:
Every pronoun has a case, which indicates its relationship to a verb or noun. There are four common
cases.
Subjective (or nominative) pronouns (I, you,
he, she, we, they, who, etc.) are used primarily
as subjects of verbs.
Objective pronouns (me, you, him, her, them,
whom, etc.) are used primarily as objects of
verbs.
Possessive pronouns (my/mine, her/hers, their/
theirs, whose, etc.) show attribution or ownership.
Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, themselves, etc.) show an object equated with
the subject or show emphasis.
Subjective Pronouns
Subjective pronouns are used only as subjects of verbs
or as predicate nominatives.
Subject of real verb:
Jenna and I were the
only two at the
meeting.
Subject of implied verb: My brother is taller
than I (am).
Although the verb isn’t written, its meaning is
implied.
Predicate nominative:
The winner of the
prize was she.
A predicate nominative is a pronoun or noun
“linked” to the subject by a linking verb. It
takes the subjective case.
Example:
Matthew
subject
is
verb
The mountain
subject
the new captain of the team.
predicate nominative
became
verb
a violent volcano.
predicate nominative
Objective Pronouns
Objective pronouns are used as objects of verbs or as
objects of prepositions.
My father struggled to
raise my brother and me.
Object of preposition: This should be a great
opportunity for you
and her.
When you have a compound phrase like Tom
and me and the coach and them, deciding the
case of the pronoun is easier if you leave out
the other part of the phrase.
Sheila and (her or she?) took the cab uptown.
——— She took the cab uptown not Her took
the cab uptown.
It was made for you and (me or I?) ——— It
was made for me not It was made for I.
Possessive Pronouns
Don’t use the objective case when you should
use the possessive case before a gerund.
Wrong: I resent you taking the car without
asking.
Right: I resent your taking the car without
asking.
The object of the verb resent is taking: the taking is what I resent, so using the objective pronoun you only confuses things. Since it’s not
you whom I resent, the possessive case your
makes sense.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used in only two ways:
to show that a subject and object are the same,
as in “I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t
dreaming,” or to emphasize a noun or pronoun, as in “I myself would never say such a
thing.” Never use a reflexive pronoun where an
objective pronoun is required. Wrong: The
crowd applauded Carl and myself. Right: The
crowd applauded Carl and me.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
533
Concept Review 6: Pronoun Case
1. Name four subjective pronouns: ____________________________________________________________________
2. Subjective pronouns are used as ____________________________________________________________________
or ________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Name four objective pronouns: ______________________________________________________________________
4. Objective pronouns are used as ______________________________________________________________________
or ________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Name four possessive pronouns: ____________________________________________________________________
6. Name four reflexive pronouns: ______________________________________________________________________
7. Reflexive pronouns are used to ______________________________________________________________________
or ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Choose the correct pronoun in each sentence below.
8. The climb was much easier for them than it was for Jeff and (I/me/myself).
9. The other contestants did not seem as confident as (he/him).
10. Within a week, George and (me/I) will have completed the project.
11. (Us/We) detectives are always careful to follow every lead.
12. Every student should make (his or her/their) own study plan.
13. They never seem to listen to the opinions of (us/we) students as they should.
534
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 6: Pronoun Case
Choose the correct pronoun in each sentence below.
1. The university presented the honor to David and (he/him).
2. After the game, we all agreed that no one had played harder than (he/him).
3. Justine and (me/I) have always been closest friends.
4. There is no point in (our/us) delaying the tests any longer.
5. I shall grant immortality to (he/him) who can pull the sword from the stone.
6. It seems quite clear that you and (I/me) will have to work together to solve this problem.
7. It might be hard for (him and me/he and I) to agree.
8. The other cheerleaders and (her/she) needed to practice on the weekend.
9. The tabloid media were thrilled about (him/his) making such a fool of himself in public.
10. (We/Us) and the other members debated the issue for over 2 hours.
11. The owners of the club offered my wife and (me/I) a free bottle of wine with dinner.
12. No other runner on the team could outrun (myself/me).
13. The teachers were getting tired of (him/his) constantly falling asleep in class.
14. The ballpark always held a special attraction for Dave and (I/me).
15. Our friends gave a party for Ingrid and (I/me/myself).
16. In anticipation of the trip, I bought (me/myself) a nice new suitcase.
536
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 7: Dangling and Misplaced Participles
What Is a Participle?
Wrong:
There are two kinds of participles:
Present participles always end in -ing (e.g., colliding, writing, swimming, eating, fighting).
Past participles often end in -ed or -en, but not
always (e.g., collided, written, swum, eaten,
fought).
A participle is a verb form used when the verb is
a phrase with a helping verb, as in the following
sentences:
The participial phrase modifies a noun. Who
had studied all night? Certainly not the professor, so the modifying phrase dangles.
One way to correct a dangling participle is simply
to place the correct noun next to the participial
phrase:
Better:
I was walking through the lobby.
We had been talking for over an hour.
I have not yet begun to fight.
The chairs were pushed against the wall.
Participles as Verbs or Adjectives
A participle can be used as a verb part (with a helping
verb), as in He is writing his term paper or They have
taken the car. It can also be used as an adjective, as in
Don’t trust a smiling salesman or I like frozen treats.
Don’t confuse present participles with gerunds.
They look the same, but they play very different roles. Present participles act as verb parts
or adjectives (as above), but gerunds act as
nouns, as in Writing is harder than it looks.
(Writing is the subject of the verb is, so it is a
noun and a gerund.)
Dangling and Misplaced
Participial Phrases
A participial phrase is a modifying phrase that
includes a participle. Such a phrase always describes something, so it acts like an adjective or
adverb. It is usually separated from the main
part of the sentence by one or more commas.
Eating ravenously, the vultures remained
on the carcass until it was picked clean.
The runners, exhausted from the final
sprint, stumbled over the finish line.
If a participial phrase starts a sentence, the
word it modifies must follow immediately
after the comma.
After having studied all night, the
professor postponed the test until
Friday.
After having studied all night, I was
frustrated to learn that the professor
had postponed the test until Friday.
(I answers the question: who had
studied?)
Another way is to incorporate a subject into the
participial phrase, turning it into a dependent
clause:
Better:
After I had studied all night, the
professor postponed the test until
Friday.
Every participial phrase should be as close as
possible to the word it modifies. If a modifier
sounds as if it modifies the wrong thing, it is
“misplaced” and must be moved.
Bob found his watch walking to
the bathroom.
Was the watch walking? Of course not, so the
participial phrase is misplaced.
Wrong:
Better:
Walking to the bathroom, Bob
found his watch.
Also good: Bob found his watch as he was
walking to the bathroom.
Wrong:
It was difficult for William to hear
the announcements waiting for the
train.
Were the announcements waiting for the train?
Of course not.
Better:
While waiting for the train,
William found it difficult to hear
the announcements.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
537
Concept Review 7:
Dangling and Misplaced Participles
1. If a participial phrase followed by a comma begins a sentence, it must be followed by
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Give the past and present participle forms of each of the following verbs.
2. push
past participle ____________________
present participle ____________________
3. run
past participle ____________________
present participle ____________________
4. take
past participle ____________________
present participle ____________________
Identify the underlined word as a gerund or a present participle.
5. I’ve loved singing ever since I was a little girl.
5. ____________________
6. I doubt that they would be working this late at night.
6. ____________________
7. Calling me a bum was a very mean thing to do.
7. ____________________
Circle the participle in each sentence, then write whether it is an adjective or a verb participle.
8. We saw the meteorite as it was falling from the sky.
8. ____________________
9. We saw the falling meteorite.
9. ____________________
10. The urn was tarnished and chipped.
10. ____________________
11. The urn was chipped at the auction.
11. ____________________
12. The evidence was damaging to the defense.
12. ____________________
13. I could never have run so fast without those shoes.
13. ____________________
Circle the participle in each sentence, then rewrite the sentence so that the participle does not “dangle.”
14. Looking at your essay, it seems to me that you need to be more specific.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. Turning the corner, the stadium came into our view.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
16. Although exhausted after the night’s work, Martha’s creative instincts compelled her to keep writing.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
17. Without waiting for an answer, David’s eagerness got the better of him, and he left in a flash.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
18. Thinking her friends were right behind her, it was frightening for Alison to discover that they were gone.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
538
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 7:
Dangling and Misplaced Participles
Circle the participles in the following sentences, then rewrite the sentences, if necessary, to correct any “dangling” participles.
1. Although angered by the irrationality of his opponent, Senator Sanchez’s plan was to address each point calmly.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Watching from the bridge, the fireworks bloomed spectacularly over the water.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Without admitting her transgression, the club found it hard to forgive Megan.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Although mildly discolored by the harsh sunlight, the sofa has retained much of its original beauty.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Exhausted from the day’s climbing, the looming storm forced the hikers to pitch an early camp.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Having studied for hours, it was very disappointing that I did so poorly on the exam.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Without being aware of it, termites can infest your home if you don’t take the proper precautions.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Before working at the bank, no one thought I could hold such a responsible position.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Lacking any real sailing skills, David’s concern was mainly with keeping the ship afloat.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Not wanting to be fooled again, she had her husband followed by a private investigator.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
540
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 8: Other Misplaced Modifiers
The Law of Proximity
Any modifier should be as close as possible to
the word it modifies.
Wrong: A splendid example of late synthetic
cubism, Picasso painted Three Musicians in the summer of 1924.
Of course, Picasso is not an example of synthetic cubism, so the appositive is dangling.
Of course, there are many other kinds of modifying
phrases besides participial phrases, and you should
familiarize yourself with them.
Better: A splendid example of late synthetic
cubism, Three Musicians was painted
by Picasso in the summer of 1924.
Misplaced Prepositional Phrases
Better: Picasso painted Three Musicians, a
splendid example of late synthetic
cubism, in the summer of 1924.
Prepositional phrases are modifying phrases. They are
sometimes adjectives, which means they modify
nouns:
Example:
The dog in the car was barking. (The prepositional phrase answers the question which
dog?)
They may also be adverbs, which means they modify
verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs:
Example:
David walked into the pole. (The prepositional
phrase answers the question where did David
walk?)
Like any modifying phrase, a prepositional
phrase can be misplaced.
Wrong: As a physician, it was difficult for me
to see such suffering.
The prepositional phrase as a physician answers the
question what is my role? So it modifies I, not it:
Right:
As a physician, I found it difficult to
see such suffering.
Misplaced Appositives
Misplaced Infinitives
Recall, from Lesson 3, that an infinitive is the basic to
_______ form of a verb that usually serves as a noun,
as in I love to shop. Infinitives can also serve as adjectives:
Example:
We have a lot more math problems to do. (It answers the question what kind of problems are
they?)
They can also serve as adverbs:
Example:
We are working to earn money for the trip. (It
answers the question why are we working?)
Because infinitives are often modifiers, they
can be misplaced.
Wrong: To get our attention, we saw Mr. Genovese take out a giant boa constrictor.
To get answers the question why did he take it
out? So take should be the closest verb to the
phrase. We can rearrange the sentence in a
couple of ways to fix this.
An appositive is a noun phrase that accompanies and
expands another noun, as in
Right:
To get our attention, Mr. Genovese
took out a giant boa constrictor.
Franklin, the only one of us who owned a car,
agreed to drive us all to the game.
Right:
We saw Mr. Genovese take out a giant
boa constrictor to get our attention.
An appositive must always be adjacent to the
noun it modifies.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
541
Concept Review 8: Other Misplaced Modifiers
Label each underlined phrase as a participial phrase (PART), a prepositional phrase (PREP), an appositive
(APP), or an infinitive phrase (INF). Although the SAT will NOT ask you to use these terms to label phrases, this
exercise will help you to spot modifier errors more easily.
1. My friend the lawyer told me that I should never sign any contract without first reading it carefully.
2. We should go to the meeting to see whether they need our help with the planning.
3. Despite spraining her ankle, our first mate was able to navigate our schooner into port.
4. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty,
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
5. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
6. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that
that nation might live.
7. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus
far so nobly advanced.
8. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we
take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of
freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
9. We the people, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
542
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 8: Other Misplaced Modifiers
In each of the following sentences, underline and label all participial phrases (PART), prepositional phrases
(PREP), appositives (APP), and infinitive phrases (INF), and rewrite any sentence to fix any misplaced modifiers.
1. Without so much as a blink, the gleaming sword was unsheathed by the warrior.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. To maintain good health, physicians suggest that both vigorous exercise and good eating habits are required.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. We found my lost earring walking through the parking lot.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Having run for over 4 hours, the finish line was still 10 miles ahead of her.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Even with a sprained ankle, the coach forced Adam back into the game.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. To find a good restaurant, there are many good online guides to help you.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. In search of a good calculator, not a single store in the mall could help me.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. A dutiful wife and mother, we were surprised to hear Carol complaining about domestic life.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. To get a good jump out of the starting blocks, most sprinters say that good body positioning is essential.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Among the most sought-after collectibles on the market, we found the antique toys at a garage sale.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
544
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 9: Tricky Tenses
Verb Tenses
Example:
The tense of a verb is what indicates its place and extent in time. There are two common situations in
which tenses can be tricky: those with “perfect” verbs
and those with “timeless” verbs.
“Perfect” Verbs
You use the perfect tenses whenever you need to indicate that some event is completed before some other
point in time. (Here, the word perfect means complete,
not flawless.) They are usually relative tenses, that is,
they show a particular relationship to another verb or
reference to time within the sentence. All perfect tenses
use the helping verb to have, as in we had walked, we
have walked, and we will have walked.
We have taken only two tests this semester.
(The taking of the tests did not happen at one
specific time, but over an extended time in the
past.)
The future perfect tense shows that something
will have been completed before some time in
the future.
Example:
By Friday, we will have completed the entire
project.
now
future perfect
future
will have completed
Friday
time
The past perfect tense shows that an event had
been completed before another point in the
past. You can think of it as the “past past” tense.
Participles must be “perfect,” too, when they
indicate an action completed before another
action.
Example:
By the time we arrived at the reception, Glen
had already given the toast.
past perfect
past
Example:
now
time
had given
arrived
When a sentence contains two past-tense
verbs, check whether one event was completed
before the other. If so, the earlier event should
be given the past perfect tense.
The present perfect tense, unlike the other perfect
tenses, usually does not show completion, but
that an event either extends from the past to the
present or occurs at an extended or unspecified
time in the past. You can think of it as the “past
plus present” tense or the “unspecific past.”
Example:
She has been so nice to me.
(This means she was nice to me and also she
still is nice to me. It combines past and present.)
Having walked all night, we were desperate to find rest at dawn.
(The walking was completed by dawn, so
the participle is “past perfect.”)
“Timeless” Verbs
When you need to discuss a theory, an artistic
work, or a general nonhistorical fact, the verb
that describes it is “timeless” and should take
the present tense by default.
Wrong: The ancient Greek philosopher Zeno believed that all motion was an illusion.
Right:
The ancient Greek philosopher Zeno
believed that all motion is an illusion.
The believing is in the past, since Zeno’s long
gone, but the theory is timeless.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
545
Concept Review 9: Tricky Tenses
1. When are the perfect tenses used?
2. What kinds of ideas are conveyed by “timeless” present-tense verbs?
Circle the correct verb in each of the following sentences.
3. Glen (came/has come) to work exhausted this morning because he (stayed/had stayed) up all last night.
4. Already, and without (spending/having spent) so much as an hour on research, Dale (wrote/has written) the
first draft of her essay.
5. (Developing/Having developed) the first compressed-air automobile, he (hoped/had hoped) to reveal it to the
world at the exposition.
6. Shakespeare’s tragedies (were/are) concerned with the deepest aspects of the human condition.
The meaning of the following sentence is ambiguous.
His legs ached because he ran farther than he ever had [run] before.
Rewrite it using the correct tenses to indicate that
7. The aching started before he finished running: _______________________________________________________
8. The aching started after he finished running: _________________________________________________________
Fix any tense problems in the following sentences.
9. Right after school, we had gone to Mario’s for a pizza and a few Cokes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Finding no evidence against the accused, the detective had to release him.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Being captured by the rebels, David soon began to fear he would never escape.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. When I got home, I wrote an essay on the baseball game that I saw that afternoon.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
546
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 9: Tricky Tenses
Correct any tense errors in the following sentences.
1. By the time the committee had adjourned, it voted on all four key proposals.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. In the evening, we had a nice meal with the same group of people we skied with that afternoon.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. By the time I am done with finals, I will write four major papers.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Being nominated for office, Ellen felt that she had to run an honest campaign.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. It surprised us to learn that Venus was almost the same size as Earth.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Reading The Sun Also Rises, I feel as if I’ve learned a great deal about bullfighting.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Most Oscar nominees claimed that they were happy simply to be nominated.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. When the epidemic struck Rwanda, the entire population had suffered.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. I have never felt so free as when I am running.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Centuries ago, physicians had believed that illnesses were caused by imbalances in bodily fluids.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. David has been the president of the club ever since it was founded.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Over the last several years, real estate values increased by over 20%.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Students often worry excessively about grades and will forget about actually understanding the concepts.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. We need not bother to patch the hull now that the entire boat had been inundated.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. By the time we arrived at the tent where the reception would be held, the caterers set up all the chairs.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
16. We will have been in this house for three years in February.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
548
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 10: Idiom Errors
What Is an Idiom?
Idioms are common phrases with quirky, nonliteral
meanings. Most idioms, like carry through, across the
board, come on strong, get your feet wet, bang for the
buck, all ears, pull your leg, eat crow, etc., are so ingrained in our language that we hardly notice that their
meanings are so nonliteral. We appreciate our idioms
when we hear someone speak who has just learned
English, since the idioms take the longest to learn.
Watch Your Prepositions
The SAT won’t expect you to memorize the thousands
of idioms in the English language, but it does expect
you to recognize preposition errors. Remember from
Lesson 2 that prepositions are words like to, from, of,
for, by, in, before, with, beyond, and up that show relative position or direction. Certain idiomatic phrases,
like arguing with, require a particular preposition.
(That is, saying something like She was arguing against
her brother is not a proper idiom.) The choice of preposition is not usually a matter of logic, as in the sentence
The house was on fire, so the firefighters put
it out.
This sentence contains two prepositions, on and out,
but neither is used literally or logically: the house wasn’t really “on” a fire, and the firemen didn’t put the fire
“out.” But if you tried to make the sentence literal and
logical, it would sound ridiculous or overly stilted:
Wrong: We were no longer satisfied at the level
of service we were receiving.
The prepositions are at and of. The idiom level
of service is correct, but the idiom satisfied at is
not. The correct idiom is satisfied with.
Right:
We were no longer satisfied with the
level of service we were receiving.
ESP: Eliminate Superfluous
Prepositions
Casual speech often uses extra prepositions.
When you write, however, try to eliminate unnecessary prepositions. Notice that in phrases
like the following, the preposition is unnecessary and thus “nonstandard.”
Examples:
The pole did not extend out far enough.
Since my injury, it hurts to climb up the stairs.
Although clearly angry, the students were not yet
ready to fight against the ruling.
We were unsuccessful in our attempt to extract
out the chemical from the venom.
The illness can make one dizzy and prone to
falling down.
If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss out on all
the fun!
The house was aflame, so the firefighters extinguished the blaze.
There were plenty of volunteers to help out with
the race.
So idioms are an important part of clear and effective
language.
Before we prepare the steaks, we should fry up
some peppers.
When you notice a preposition in a sentence,
always ask: “Is that preposition necessary, and
if so, is it the correct preposition for that particular phrase?”
Her speed and strength helped her to dominate
over her opponents.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
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Concept Review 10: Idiom Errors
Choose the correct preposition or phrase (if any) to complete each of the following sentences. If no word or
phrase is required, circle the dash (—).
1. I prefer spaghetti (to/over/more than/—) linguine.
2. The students were protesting (against/over/—) the decision to cut financial aid.
3. We are all concerned (about/with/—) your decision to drop out of school.
4. It took nearly an hour to open (up/—) the trunk.
5. Eleanor has always been concerned (with/about/—) feminist issues.
6. We all agreed (on/with/about/—) the decision to go skiing rather than hiking.
7. She would not agree (to/on/with/about) the plea bargain.
8. We found dozens of old photographs hidden (in/—) between the pages.
9. Good study habits are necessary (to/for/in) academic success.
10. The new house color is not very different (from/than/to/—) the old one.
11. His girlfriend was angry (with/at/—) him for not calling sooner.
12. It will be many years before we fill (up/—) all the pages in this photo album.
13. They were both angry (about/at/with) the boys’ behavior.
14. You should plan (to come/on coming) before 6:00 pm.
15. Matt was kicked off (of/—) the team for drinking at a party.
16. We will make sure that your contract complies (with/to/—) the laws of your state.
17. After the operation, Denise was no longer capable (of playing/to play) the violin.
550
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 10: Idiom Errors
Consider the idiom in each sentence and fill in the correct preposition, if one is required.
1. The interview provided insight _____ what great directors think about.
2. We were very angry _____ him for ignoring our phone calls.
3. Her tests include questions that seem very different _____ those that we see in the homework.
4. My mother preferred my singing _____ my practicing guitar.
5. Detective Simone ran in pursuit _____ the perpetrators.
6. We had to shoo the cat off _____ the car.
7. When she arrived on campus, she felt truly independent _____ her parents for the first time.
8. They scoured the bedroom in search _____ the missing bracelet.
9. We were very angry _____ the exorbitant price of gasoline at the corner gas station.
10. Although they were friends, they always seemed to be arguing _____ each other.
11. I am concerned _____ your failure to pass the last few quizzes.
12. We all agreed _____ the color scheme for the wedding.
13. Tony had to climb _____ the ladder to get to the top bunk.
14. As a public defender, he was very concerned _____ the legal issue of search and seizure.
15. It was hard not to agree _____ her offer of a free movie ticket.
16. The vaccine was intended to protect everyone working on the project _____ disease.
17. I could hardly pay attention in class because I was daydreaming _____ the prom.
18. Allison and her sister both excel _____ dance and music.
19. I could never dream _____ confronting the coach with such a trivial concern.
20. I arrived at the meeting too late to raise my objection _____ the proposal.
21. The third edition of this book really doesn’t differ very much at all _____ the first two.
22. I beg to differ _____ you, but your story does not fit my recollection at all.
23. If we don’t act soon, we may miss _____ the opportunity to lock in the lowest rates.
552
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 11: Diction Errors
What Are Diction Errors?
Diction errors are “wrong word” errors. If an
SAT sentence contains a word that sounds almost right but not quite, it may well be a diction error. Study this list of words so that you
can spot common diction errors.
Commonly Confused Words
accept/except: To accept something means to agree to
take it. <accept an offer> To except something
is to exclude it.
adapt/adopt/adept: To adapt something means to
make it suitable for a particular purpose (from
apt, which means appropriate or suitable). To
adopt means to choose as one’s own. Someone
adept is highly skilled. <an adept player>
affect/effect: To affect means to influence. <It affected me deeply.> An effect is a result or consequence. <It had a good effect.> They are easily
confused because to affect means to have an effect on something.
allude/elude/allusion/illusion: To allude to something means to make a subtle or indirect reference to it. To elude something means to escape
from it. An allusion is a subtle reference, but an
illusion is a deception or misconception.
ambivalent/ambiguous: When you’re ambivalent
you have conflicting feelings about something.
<I feel ambivalent about the party.> Something
ambiguous is unclear or having more than one
interpretation. <an ambiguous signal>
cite/site/sight: To cite means to mention as a source
of information or to commend for meritorious
action. <cite an article in her essay> A site is a
place where a planned activity occurs. To sight
means to see at a specific location.
compliment/complement: A compliment is a praising
personal comment. A complement is something
that completes or makes a whole. (Notice the
ple in complement and complete.)
council/counsel: A council is a committee. <the executive council> To counsel is to give advice. <He
counseled me.>
discrete/discreet: Discrete means distinct.<A watch
contains dozens of discrete parts.> Someone
discreet is prudently modest. <Act discreetly.>
elicit/illicit: To elicit means to bring out or to call
forth. <The joke elicited laughter.> Illicit means
unlawful.
eminent/imminent: Someone eminent is prominently
distinguished. <an eminent historian> Something imminent is about to occur. <imminent
doom>
flaunt/flout: To flaunt something means to show it off.
<flaunt your talents> To flout something
means to show contempt for it. <flout the rules>
gambit/gamut: A gambit is a careful strategy or an
opening move. The gamut is the complete range.
<run the gamut>
imply/infer: To imply means to suggest or hint at, but to
infer means to draw a conclusion from evidence.
its/it’s, their/they’re, whose/who’s, your/you’re:
Apostrophes can show possession (as in David’s
bike) or indicate missing letters in a contraction
(as in can’t as a contraction of cannot). In each
of the confusing word pairs above, apostrophes
indicate contraction, not possession: it’s = it is
or it has, they’re = they are, you’re = you are, and
who’s = who is or who has. The possessives are
the ones without apostrophes.
morale/moral: Morale (n: mor-AL) is shared enthusiasm for and dedication to a goal. <The team’s
morale was very high after the win.> A moral
(n: MOR-al) is a lesson or principle about good
behavior. <The story had a nice moral.>
phase/faze: A phase is a stage in a process. <third phase
of the project> The idiom to phase out means to
eliminate in stages. To faze someone means to
disturb his or her composure. <I was a bit fazed
by the interruption.>
precede/proceed/proceeds: To precede something
means to come before it ( pre- before). To proceed means to go on, usually after a pause ( proforward). Proceeds are funds received from a
venture. <proceeds from the raffle>
principal/principle: A principal is your pal—the head
of a school. It’s also the initial investment in an
interest-bearing account. (Money in the bank
can be a pretty good pal, too, eh?) A principle is
a guiding rule.
reticent/reluctant: Someone reticent is reserved or
reluctant to talk freely. Don’t use it to mean
reluctant.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
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Concept Review 11: Diction Errors
Circle any diction errors in each of the following sentences, and write the correct word(s) in the blank.
1. Although most of the manuscripts were signed by their authors, some were written unanimously. __________
2. It was hard for the comic to illicit even the slightest laugh from the crowd.
__________
3. She seems to have a hard time excepting compliments.
__________
4. We needed to adopt the old engine to fit the new go-cart.
__________
5. I like all flavors of ice cream accept mocha.
__________
6. The imminent congresswoman was re-elected easily.
__________
7. While his activities were clearly immoral, they were not elicit.
__________
8. The committee decided to adapt the new rules regarding membership.
__________
9. She thought it wise to be discrete about her previous relationship with the defendant.
__________
10. The counsel will decide how to finance the new city park.
__________
11. Rather than cooperating with the rest of the team, Richard is always trying to flaunt the rules.
__________
12. His knowledge of sports runs the gambit from table tennis to arena football.
__________
13. The jury should not imply guilt from the defendant’s refusal to answer these questions.
__________
14. We were amazed at how adapt a juggler Carl was.
__________
15. Rather than eliminate the department all at once, they decided to faze it out gradually.
__________
16. Dogs barking can often signal eminent danger.
__________
17. Training a dog is easy, once you’ve got it’s attention.
__________
18. She was sending mixed signals, so it was ambivalent whether she really wanted to go.
__________
19. After our vacation, we decided to precede with the plan.
__________
20. They don’t seem to tolerate anyone who does not abide by their principals.
__________
21. I was trying to infer that I should be considered for the new position.
__________
22. I always felt reticent to talk in class.
__________
23. Deanne was not even phased by the fire alarm.
__________
24. The vitamins didn’t have as great an affect as I thought they would.
__________
25. She was the principle benefactor of the new hospital ward.
__________
26. The police officer was sighted for her efforts in the hostage rescue.
__________
27. She made an illusion to the fact that she was once a beauty queen.
__________
28. Even the most trivial news seems to effect the stock price immediately.
__________
29. David felt ambiguous about testifying against his partner.
__________
30. The moral of the troops was at an all-time low during the Christmas season.
__________
31. That scarf really compliments your outfit.
__________
32. The meaning of that poem alludes me.
__________
33. Her study of gorillas has been sited in several major books.
__________
554
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 11: Diction Errors
Circle any diction errors in each of the following sentences, and write the correct word(s) in the blank.
1. The reason we canceled the trip is because Wynona couldn’t come on that weekend.
__________
2. Most of the meeting was spent honing in on the final plans for building the float.
__________
3. Matt was finally kicked off the starting squad for flaunting the team rules.
__________
4. I tried to stay awake for the lecture, but I was so disinterested that I dozed off before the
professor was half finished.
__________
5. Ms. Davis said that we should always try and speak as if we were trying to hold a conversation
with a person in the very back of the auditorium.
__________
6. Jennifer was very reticent to speak about the incident, even many years after it occurred.
__________
7. The article mentioned the low voter turnout in order to infer that the senator may not have
been elected by a true majority.
__________
8. Even the ten-run deficit didn’t seem to phase the manager; he refused to waver in his optimism.
__________
9. We decided that it was prudent to wait until the debris was cleared before we preceded.
__________
10. Although the police initially had many solid leads, the suspect alluded them for several months.
__________
11. It may be years before we understand how pollution from the new power plant might effect the
regional environment.
__________
12. The new online store’s musical offerings run the gambit from arias to zydeco.
__________
13. Heather was the principle author of the study that was recently published in a prominent
scientific magazine.
__________
14. We were thrilled to get such an imminent expert on world affairs to speak at our colloquium
on such short notice.
__________
15. All of the invited guests accept Anthony arrived promptly.
__________
16. Mrs. Sullivan went on all period about the illusions to Victorian society in
Alice in Wonderland.
__________
17. For nearly the entire semester, I felt so inhabited that I never so much as razed my hand in class.
__________
18. Since they did not have a plan for the project, they decided to refer their approval until later.
__________
19. Try as they might, the hikers could not find the anecdote to the snake venom.
__________
20. The acid solution was so potent that we had to delude it with water before we could use it safely.
__________
21. The symbols on the cave walls are ambivalent; scientists have been debating their meaning
for decades.
__________
22. Despite the setbacks with the caterers, the Breedens managed to give a splendidly eloquent party.
__________
23. As someone committed to fairness in education, she could not accept the iniquity of the
admissions policy.
__________
556
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 12: Other Modifier Problems
Adjectives vs. Adverbs
Don’t use an adjective to do the job of an
adverb. Adjectives (like green, generous, and
gargantuan) are words that modify nouns.
Adverbs (like gently, globally, and grossly) are
words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other
adverbs.
Wrong: I was impressed by how cogent his
argument was presented.
Although the argument was cogent, the modifier in this sentence is intended to answer the
question how was it presented? Since it modifies a verb, it is an adverb and should take the
-ly form.
Right: I was impressed by how cogently his
argument was presented.
An adverb may also be used to modify the
statement that a whole sentence makes.
Okay:
Clearly, the dust storm obscured the
rider’s vision.
Some people claim that the adverb clearly must
modify the verb obscured, and say that it’s illogical for something to be obscured clearly, because obscured is the opposite of clear.
However, adverbs can be used to modify the
statement as a whole rather than the verb it contains. In this case, Clearly means What follows
is a clear and obvious statement, but it’s much
more concise, wouldn’t you agree?
Two common modifiers, fast and well, can be
used as either adjectives or adverbs. Fast is an
adjective in The car is fast, but it is an adverb
in He talks too fast, describing how he talks.
Well is an adjective meaning healthy in I
haven’t been well lately, but it is an adverb in
She sings very well, describing how she sings.
Comparative Adjectives and Adverbs
Use the proper form when using comparative
modifiers. Comparative adjectives take one of
two forms: fast becomes comparative by adding
-er to make faster, but adorable becomes
comparative by adding more to make more
adorable. (Adorabler just doesn’t sound right,
does it?) Comparative adverbs almost always
start with more as in more rapidly, but some irregular (that is, non “-ly”) adverbs can take -er, as
in She runs faster than anyone else in the class.
Wrong: The briefcase feels more light than it
did this morning. (This is not the
proper idiom.)
The briefcase feels lighter than it did
this morning.
Wrong: Please try to hold the baby gentler next
time. (Gentler is a comparative adjective, not an adverb.)
Right: Please try to hold the baby more gently
next time.
Right:
Some modifiers should not take the comparative
form because they are absolutes. For instance, it
is illogical for one thing to be more unique than
another thing, because unique means one of a
kind, and this shows an absolute quality.
Wrong: The loss was made more inevitable by
the injury to our starting pitcher. (It’s
either inevitable or it’s not!)
Right:
The loss was made inevitable by the
injury to our starting pitcher.
Eliminate Redundancy
A redundancy is an unnecessary repetition of
an idea. Eliminate all redundancies from your
writing. To check whether a word or phrase is
redundant, reread the sentence without that
word or phrase. If the meaning of the sentence
remains unchanged, then the word or phrase
is redundant.
Wrong: With only seconds remaining to go in
the game, Michael sped quickly down
the court.
Since remaining means roughly the same as to
go, we don’t need both. Also, to speed means to
move quickly, so sped quickly is redundant.
Right:
With only seconds remaining in the
game, Michael sped down the court.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
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Concept Review 12: Other Modifier Problems
Give the comparative form of each adjective or adverb.
1. gentle
__________
2. precious
__________
3. gently
__________
4. lovely
__________
5. quiet
__________
6. sporty
__________
7. Circle the absolute modifiers in the list below.
wild
impossible
sufficient
final
fatal
complete
inevitable
responsive
tolerable
willing
entire
effective
ideal
universal
unique
8. What is the correct comparative form of an absolute modifier?
In each of the following sentences, circle the modifying words or phrases and label them adjectives (ADJ), adverbs
(ADV), or sentence modifiers (SMOD).
9. The music was overwhelmingly beautiful.
10. The other store is far less convenient than the one on the corner.
11. David unknowingly picked up the wrong bag.
12. Unfortunately, we could hardly see the band from our awful seats.
13. The best thing to do is to wait patiently.
14. Personally, I vastly prefer bison meat to beef.
15. Most likely, the lacrosse team left on the first bus.
16. I almost never watch television anymore.
17. Cross out any redundant words or phrases in the paragraph below. (Hint: there are at least ten redundancies.)
When we refer back to past history, we can see that whenever a new innovation is introduced for the first time,
people rarely accept the whole entire concept, at least not right away. If and when something threatens the ways of
the past, people don’t part easily with their old ways. Although not everyone necessarily needs to maintain the status
quo, consistency and predictability make people feel comfortable. Even when technology comes up with a way to do
things better, people often continue on with their older, less efficient ways. For instance, it’s not uncommon for people to use e-mail while at the same time continuing to correspond via “snail mail.” If they would quickly pause for a
moment, they would see that they can communicate more effectively through the Internet—and save some trees!
558
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 12: Other Modifier Problems
Correct any modifier problems in the sentences below.
1. The latest political commercials make their points stronger than previous ones.
2. My shirt smelled quite foully after rugby practice.
3. Recent technological advances have made it easier to extract minuscule chemical traces from geological samples.
4. We never usually get to go to such elegant restaurants.
5. Although both of my parents have pretty level heads, my father is the most patient.
6. The third graders weren’t hardly interested in going to the museum after school.
7. I could always sing in front of a crowd easier than I could give a speech.
8. In many areas of the country, wind energy can be converted to electricity even more efficient than fossil energy.
9. I felt surprisingly well after Saturday’s ten-mile run.
10. The microscopic size of the fracture made it more impossible to detect, even with special instruments.
11. The committee had never been so unanimous as they were on the most recent vote.
12. These measures won’t barely address the state’s deficit.
13. The teacher never told us about the test until the day before.
14. We weren’t real sure that the plan would work.
15. Students never usually bother to examine the veracity of the “facts” they are supposed to memorize in history
class.
16. Gena’s guess was the most correct of anyone’s in the class.
560
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 13: Irregular Verbs
Know Your Irregulars
When using the perfect tenses or using participial phrases, you must use the past participle of the verb
rather than the past tense form of the verb. Don’t mix them up!
For many verbs, the two forms are the same, as in we walked (past) and we had walked (past perfect),
but for many “irregular” verbs, they are different, as in we ate (past) and we had eaten (past perfect). You
should know the irregular forms of common verbs.
Infinitive
to arise
to awake
to beat
to begin
to blow
to break
to burst
to cast
to come
to creep
to do
to draw
to drink
to drive
to forsake
to get
to go
to hurt
to kneel
to know
to lay (to put or place)
to lie (to recline)
to ride
to run
to shrink
to sink
to speak
to spring
to take
to tear
to write
Past tense
arose
awoke
beat
began
blew
broke
burst
cast
came
crept
did
drew
drank
drove
forsook
got
went
hurt
kneeled, knelt
knew
laid
lay
rode
ran
shrank
sank
spoke
sprang
took
tore
wrote
Past participle
arisen
awoken
beaten
begun
blown
broken
burst
cast
come
crept
done
drawn
drunk
driven
forsaken
got, gotten
gone
hurt
knelt
known
laid
lain
ridden
run
shrunk, shrunken
sunk
spoken
sprung
taken
torn
written
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
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Concept Review 13: Irregular Verbs
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb:
1. We would have __________ (to ride) even further if we had had the time.
2. Until now, that issue hasn’t __________ (to arise).
3. Before we won last week’s game, we hadn’t __________ (to beat) the Cougars in ten years.
4. I would not have __________ (to drink) the punch if I had known that it had liquor in it.
5. We searched everywhere, but our friends had __________ (to go) out for the evening.
6. Had I never __________ (to know) about video games, I would have __________ (to get) perfect grades last
semester.
7. At last night’s concert, the band __________ (to sing) all of its greatest hits.
8. The Donnellys have __________ (to run) their corner store for over 20 years.
9. They had hardly __________ (to speak) about the incident until that night.
10. I can’t believe you put my wool sweater in the dryer and __________ (to shrink) it.
11. His batting average has really __________ (to sink) ever since his injury.
12. She had __________ (to speak) for so long that the other speakers didn’t have time to finish their presentations.
13. It seems as if the tulips __________ (to spring) out of the ground overnight.
14. We should have __________ (to take) that shortcut to work.
15. If we had jumped over that fence, the polar bear would have __________ (to tear) us to shreds.
16. I promise you that by next month I will have __________ (to write) the first four chapters of the book.
562
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 13: Irregular Verbs
Circle the past participle(s) or past tense verbs in each sentence, and make any necessary corrections.
1. Elisha could never have went to the state finals if I had not convinced her to join the team in the first place.
2. In retrospect, it seems I might have took too much time on the essay portion of the test.
3. While we played video games, Danny lay on the couch all afternoon.
4. Most people find it amazing that, millions of years ago, life sprung from a primordial swamp.
5. After we had placed our bets, we lay our cards on the table.
6. Carl would have tore his uniform if he had not stopped his slide at the last second.
7. The generals forsook their own troops to surrender and save their own lives.
8. When the temperature sunk below zero, the pipes bursted like water balloons.
9. The assets of the company were froze as soon as it declared bankruptcy.
10. Promptly at 6 o’clock, the assistant cook rung the bell for dinner, and the whole camp raced up the hill.
11. I was concerned about buying a cotton warm-up suit, and sure enough, it shrunk two sizes after the first wash.
12. By the time they pitched camp for the night, they had ridden over 30 miles.
13. George needed his friends more than ever, but they had forsook him.
14. We sung just about every song we knew, then we went to bed.
15. The senator could have spoke a lot longer, but she yielded the floor to her colleague.
564
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 14: The Subjunctive Mood
What is the “Mood” of a Verb?
The mood of a verb is its factuality or urgency. There are three moods of verbs in English.
Indicative mood:
Most verbs are in the indicative mood, meaning they indicate something real or factual,
as in I am going to the park.
Subjunctive mood: Verbs in the subjunctive mood indicate something hypothetical, conditional, wishful, suggestive, or counter to fact, as in I wish I were going to the park.
Imperative mood: Verbs in the imperative mood indicate a direct command, as in Go to the park!
The only “tricky” mood in English is the subjunctive mood. Questions about the subjunctive mood are
possible on the SAT, but they are not very common. You should recognize the common situations in
which the subjunctive mood must be used, and know how to change the form of the verb accordingly.
The subjunctive mood is usually indicated by auxiliaries like would, should, might, and may, or if the verb
is to be, by the forms were and be.
He would feel better if only he would eat.
(Hypothetical)
If I were faster, I could play wide receiver.
(Hypothetical)
We thought that she might win the election, but she lost by a lot.
(Counter to fact)
He plays as though he were not even injured.
(Counter to fact)
I wish that he would not act so superior.
(Wishful)
I wish I were two inches taller.
(Wishful)
I truly doubt that she would ever say such a thing.
(Doubtful)
I think she might be in over her head.
(Doubtful)
She said that we should practice harder.
(Suggestion)
He asks that we be there at 6 o’clock sharp.
(Indirect command)
Don’t Overdo It
The subjunctive mood is slowly disappearing from the English language. Many subjunctive forms from
the past now sound old-fashioned and are no longer “standard” English.
Archaic: We must all respect the office of the presidency, no matter who be the current officeholder.
Better:
We must all respect the office of the presidency, no matter who is the current officeholder.
Archaic: If that be so, we may see dramatic changes in the market.
Better:
If that is so, we may see dramatic changes in the market.
Watch Your Ifs
One very common mistake is using the construction if . . . would have . . . as a past subjunctive form. The
correct form is if . . . had. . . .
Wrong: If he would have arrived a minute sooner, he would not have missed her.
Right:
If he had arrived a minute sooner, he would not have missed her.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
Concept Review 14: The Subjunctive Mood
1. Name five auxiliaries that indicate the subjunctive mood.
2. What does the subjunctive mood indicate?
Circle the correct subjunctive verb form in each of the following sentences.
3. If I (was/were) a little faster, I’d be able to anchor the relay team.
4. In fact, I (was/were) only 5 years old at the time.
5. He would feel better if only he (ate/would eat).
6. He asks that we (are/be) there at 6 o’clock sharp.
7. I wish that he (were/was) not so presumptuous about my motives.
8. If he (would have/had) caught the ball, the inning would be over now.
9. If I (was/were) a rock star, I’d tour all over Europe.
10. He plays as though he (was/were) not even injured.
11. I wish I (was/were) six inches taller.
12. I think she (might be/is) in over her head.
13. If she (would have/had) campaigned harder, she might have won the election.
14. I cannot tell whether he (is/be) friend or foe.
565
566
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 14: The Subjunctive Mood
Circle the verb(s) in each sentence. If the verb mood is incorrect, cross it out and write in the correction.
1. We doubted that she will get enough votes to force a runoff, let alone win outright.
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2. If I was going to take the SAT tomorrow, I’d be sure to get plenty of sleep tonight.
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3. If I would have known that it would take this long, I’d have gone out for a snack.
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4. I would have liked to have been there just to see the panicked look on his face.
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5. The camp counselors asked that we were in our beds with lights out promptly at 10 o’clock.
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6. David ran as if he was carrying a refrigerator on his back.
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7. I wish that we would have paid the extra $50 a night to get a better room.
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8. Miss Hannigan demanded that we be silent unless spoken to and should always
do what we’re told.
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9. He spoke as if he was an expert in the field of international relations.
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10. I would have remembered to have left a generous tip, but I left my wallet at home.
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11. Had I known beforehand, I would not have mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
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12. If the rest of the class would have voted the way I did, we wouldn’t be taking the test today. _______________
568
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Lesson 15: Coordinating Ideas
Complex and Compound Sentences
Many sentences contain more than one complete idea,
or clause. These are called compound sentences (if the
individual clauses can stand alone as sentences) or
complex sentences (if one or more of the individual
clauses cannot stand alone as sentences). The ideas in
sentences must coordinate logically with each other.
Here the two clauses are joined with the conjunction but. This changes the meaning slightly
from the previous version; it emphasizes the
contrast between the group of courses in the
first clause and the single course in the second
clause.
Wrong:
Example:
As we walked in the door, Bernie jumped all
over us.
This is a complex sentence because the first clause, As
we walked in the door, cannot stand alone as a sentence. This is called a dependent clause. The second
clause, however, Bernie jumped all over us, is an independent clause, and can stand alone as a sentence.
He was very excited to see us: we had been away
for nearly a full hour!
This is a compound sentence because the two clauses
are independent.
Run-On Sentences
If two independent clauses are joined only by a
comma, this is an error called a run-on sentence or a comma splice. (A run-on sentence
isn’t just a sentence that’s too long!) To join
two independent clauses in one sentence, you
must use a colon (:), a semicolon (;), or a conjunction like but, or, yet, for, and, nor, or so.
(Mnemonic: BOYFANS)
The ride was more harrowing than
they expected, several times the car
nearly skidded off the mountain.
Right:
The ride was more harrowing than
they expected: several times the car
nearly skidded off the mountain.
The colon is more appropriate than a semicolon
here, because the second clause explains the
first.
The Colon and Semicolon
The semicolon (;) is used primarily to join two
closely related independent clauses in a single
sentence. When using a semicolon to join
clauses, make sure they are independent; that
is, they can stand alone as sentences.
Wrong:
The test was unbelievably difficult;
and hardly anyone finished it on time.
A semicolon or a conjunction should be used to
join the clauses, but not both.
Right:
The test was unbelievably difficult;
hardly anyone finished it on time.
Wrong:
The colon (:) is used in much the same way as
a semicolon is used, but it also implies that an
explanation will follow.
Right:
Unclear: The meeting went well and everyone
was impressed by my presentation.
This sentence is a bit ambiguous: did the meeting go well because of the successful presentation, or for another reason?
I have taken several science courses
this year, my favorite was neuroscience.
Two independent clauses are joined only by a
comma, so the sentence is a run-on.
I have taken several science courses
this year; my favorite was neuroscience.
Because the two clauses are closely related,
they can be joined with a semicolon.
Right:
I have taken several science courses
this year, but my favorite was neuroscience.
Better:
The meeting went well: everyone was
impressed by my presentation.
This makes the relationship between the
clauses clearer: the second explains the first.
CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS
569
Concept Review 15: Coordinating Ideas
1. When should a semicolon be used to join clauses?
2. When should a colon be used to join clauses?
3. What is a run-on sentence?
4. Name the seven conjunctions that can join independent clauses.
Write a sentence that logically and concisely incorporates the given clauses, with the first clause as the main clause.
5. Confederates in the Attic has received widespread critical acclaim. It was written by Tony Horwitz. It portrays
the legacy of the Civil War in the modern South. It is poignant and funny.
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6. Many of the rights given by the Constitution were bitterly contested by the Founding Fathers. Many people believe that the Founding Fathers agreed unanimously to safeguard those rights for us. The Constitution is much
more a political compromise than a steadfast commitment to a set of ideals.
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7. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis has been largely disproven. It claims that our thoughts are guided and limited by
constraints on our language. Scientists now understand that having thoughts and expressing them are very different things.
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8. Corporations can effectively control the opinions of the people through the media. They can do this to a large degree because the people don’t believe they are being manipulated. This happens in free and democratic societies.
Unlike totalitarian societies, free and democratic societies do not use force to ensure popular compliance.
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570
MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Worksheet 15: Coordinating Ideas
Make any necessary corrections to the following sentences to coordinate the clauses logically and concisely.
1. Standardized test results can help measure the progress of individual students, and they are far less able to measure the effectiveness of entire school systems.
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2. A consistent program of vigorous aerobic exercise maintains cardiovascular health, it also helps your brain to
work more effectively.
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3. If the Mets could just get some consistent relief pitching; they might be able to put a winning streak together.
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4. We never should have bought the plane tickets, and it would have been much easier to drive.
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5. The convention was not the success they had hoped it would be, their lead presenter came down with the flu; the
salesman who had to fill in had never given a presentation in front of an audience.
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6. Since 1998, the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been the deadliest since World War II, it has
claimed over 3.3 million lives.
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7. Mrs. Donovan seems to inspire every one of her students to achieve; she inspires them despite having to manage classes that sometimes number over 35 students.
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8. The lab took us twice as long to complete as any of our other labs; but it was also the most worthwhile.
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